


I Travelled the World to Find You

by shirewalker



Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, One Night Stands, Reunion Sex, Reunions, Smut, Train Sex, alina finds a magnetic stranger hm hm, distraction sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 08:21:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14256840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shirewalker/pseuds/shirewalker
Summary: Alina's backpacking when the weather forces her to travel aboard a luxury train (after all, she's saved for this trip and a girl can indulge in some luxury once in a while, right?) when she meets a silver-eyed stranger with a magnetic pull.After some nights spent solely in the arms of each other, Alina runs away from him and possible feelings.But that isn't the last she'll see him.-Done for a request I got a few months ago, never really got an idea until some weeks ago:"do u think it's imaginable aleks and alina backpacking around the world (not together) but they eventually met somewhere and they have this amazing night or whatever (something super memorable) and then a couple of years later they met again?"





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

 

So maybe her plans to be completely alone didn’t work out but then again… The company she found during those last couple of weeks was… Memorable.

 

* * *

 

Backpacking around the world was very nice. In theory. Alina quickly realised she couldn’t forgo some luxuries in life. Like a nice train ride when the weather was simply not appropriate for plain old backpacking. Good thing she had savings especially for this trip.

“Your compartment miss.” A polite attendant opened the elegant wooden door and she stepped inside. “Your bags?” He inquired, nodding at her backpack and the two other bags she’d somehow collected along the way. She smiled and handed those two to him and watched as the man hauled them up onto the luggage compartment, “And that one?”

She shook her head, “No thank you, I’ll need it down here with me.”

“Very well. Dinner is at eight, you can order beforehand or at the table. Afterwards, when you wish to lie down, please just ring the bell and someone will come to assist you.” He pointed at a little button by the door, “Private restroom is in here,” He said, opening a small door that offered a tiny sink and a shower that was surprisingly big enough for the average person. “And at both ends of each carriage are two other restrooms.”

“Thank you.” She said, handing him a tip before the man left her alone in her room. She sat down and smiled at her surroundings, excited for the chance to experience the Ravkan Express at last. “This is so awesome. So. Awesome.”

 

* * *

 

Deep silver, dark and alluring enough to even be described as dangerous.

The second Alina sat down for dinner, her gaze had caught the eye of another lone guest, the man sitting on the table across from hers. Tall, all lean muscle, hair as dark as a moonless night and mesmerizing grey eyes. Her lungs had been stolen of all air the second their gaze met and she’d realised ‘grey’ was the wrong way to describe those eyes. Silver, dark, dangerous. A forbidden fruit she wouldn’t mind tasting one day.

When his mouth curved up in a smirk that spoke of nothing innocent, Alina quickly averted her eyes and focused on her menu, trying her best to ignore the way his eyes had made her feel. And most especially, trying her best to cross her legs without drawing any attention. “Saints…” She cursed under her breath, thankful for deciding to wear her hair loose for dinner. At least that way she could hide her face and the blush that seemed determined to colour her cheeks. A waiter approached and she quickly made her order. Ten long minutes passed before any food arrived and Alina decided that in the future she would order her meals beforehand. This wait was driving her mad, mad, mad.

Eating while pretending to not be affected by his magnetic presence was quite… Hard. Alina found every move of hers would become dirty and inappropriate for the restaurant carriage so long the silver-eyed stranger was around. She could feel his gaze on her, the way his eyes travelled up and down her frame and followed her moves. One could describe that as creepy, if one wasn’t Alina, who happened to be doing the exact same thing to him.

The rest of the meal was spent in that little secret dance of theirs, each secretly watching the other, both pretending to be highly interested in their own food. Until the moment Alina found herself locked in her compartment, she would hold in her breath, afraid the silver-eyed man would hear the way her breathing grew shallow whenever they locked eyes.

 

* * *

 

“Quite a snowstorm.” A smooth, cool voice spoke from behind her.

Alina stood by a window, watching as the train passed by an abandoned station, no lights illuminating it. She’d been drawn to the sight, amazed by the paradox that was a luxury train traveling down these tracks, these tracks that led her to many crowded places. And among those… Stations like that one. Dark, forgotten. No train ever stopping by ever again. And that was when she felt his presence, just a breath away. His warmth, his scent – pinewood, winter nights – and now, his voice. She shut her eyes, silently cusring the man for even having a voice this alluring. Saints damn her, she wasn’t going to bed alone tonight, was she?

“Yes. Forced me to take the train to my next destination.”

“Your loss is my gain.” He said.

“Oh? How’s that?” She asked, turning around just enough to spare him a pointed look. Sure, she was practically near-orgasm just by standing next to him, but if he wanted her, he would need to be a lot smoother than this.

His eyes seemed to shine, “You are…” He stepped closer, a hand brushing away a few strands of her hair, “Quite a sight. Dinner became so much more the moment you stepped in.”

“Really?” She breathed, only half-annoyed at how her body betrayed her so easily. “You’re not so bad yourself.” She managed to add, hoping someone would walk by and interrupt them before anything could happen. This was a trip to discover herself, to travel with herself. Not to… hook up with silver-eyed men. And yet… All she wanted in that moment was to do exactly that. Plenty of times, she realised, much to her eternal shame.

A smile tugged on his lips before he leaned in and pressed a burning hot kiss right where her pulse drummed faster. A moan left her lips before she could help it and the man seemed to take the sound as a permission, allowing himself to explore the rest of her neck. Alina didn’t have it in her to stop him, her eyes fluttering close, her hands pulling him nearer and nearer, until his body was pressing hers against the cold window. His lips seemed to know where to find every sensible spot her neck had, biting and kissing her skin until Alina was practically trembling in his arms. A hand moved down her body, fingers pressing against her side until he found the hem of her dress and pulled it up. Palm on her skin, his hand moved upwards and under the skirt, slowly exploring her in a way that was not meant for train corridors at all. Alina felt a moan climb up her throat when his fingers found the hem of her panties and she scrambled for purchase, her hands holding fast onto him as anticipation drove her into near-shut down.

“I want you…” Oh yes, she wanted him too. His voice was hot against her jaw as he pressed a perfectly timed kiss, “I want you to have my name, solnishka.” He breathed, placing another perfectly timed kiss on her jaw, this one much closer to her lips. Closer, closer, closer. “Will you have it?” He shuddered and pressed his hips hard against hers, drawing a soft gasp out of her lips, “Will you have it?”

“Yes… Yes…” She nodded, desperate for more of this. More, more, more!

“My name… My name is… Aleksander…” He breathed into her, his lips now just a hair away from her gasping ones. And then, just when Alina began to think she’d have to initiate the kiss herself, his lips came down on hers.

His kiss was hungry, his hands like hooks on her, keeping their bodies as close as possible. Aleksander growled when he felt Alina’s tongue teasing his and quickly he followed her lead, their tongues fighting for dominance, fighting for a taste of each other. Alina was dizzy, head spinning as the kiss went on and on, his breath becoming hers, her heartbeat becoming his. But somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered something.

They were on a train. In a corridor, making out hard against a window.

She broke the kiss in a breathless gasp and placed her hand over his chest, where she felt just how fast his heart was racing. “Aleksander…” Saints, what a beautiful name. And how sweet it tasted on her tongue. Judging by the way he shuddered when she spoke, Alina guessed he too enjoyed it very much. She licked her lips and noticed the way his eyes grew darker with lust, “We can’t… Anyone might see…”

A wicked grin crossed his face, “That would be their problem, not ours…”

She rolled her eyes, “Still, my room is just a few doors down…” Her voice was so, so husky, she suddenly felt as though she was re-enacting some bad porn movie.

Aleksander hummed, “Very well…” He agreed, a question hanging after his words.

Alina blinked once, still high from all of him, before she realised what he was asking, “Oh! Alina, my name’s Alina.”

“Alina…” He smiled and she swore his eyes lit up with an emotion she couldn’t quite read. “What a beautiful name for a beautiful woman. Lead the way, Alina…”

 

* * *

 

Cold bit her skin, her back pressed hard against the window as Aleksander finished undressing her, his hands warm and fitting her every curve to perfection. Still completely dressed, Aleksander rolled his hips against hers once, twice, before he lowered his head and captured her gasping lips within his, pulling hard on her lip with his teeth. He kissed the tender skin with a kiss so soft it felt almost out of place in this, yet felt like the only sort of kiss he could ever give her. What a paradox, what a wonderful paradox.

Alina moaned, the sound louder than she’d expected, when he brushed his thumb over her clit and her whole body shivered. “Alina… My Alina…” He brushed his lips over her shoulder, peppering her skin with maddening chaste kisses. How could these simple and tender kisses be so arousing? He brushed his thumb again and another moan left her lips, a gasped please following suit. How much longer was he going to take? How long was his foreplay going to last and more importantly… Could she survive it at all? Aleksander chuckled, “Hasty Alina… So hasty…”

“Shut up.” She bit back, gnawing on her lower lip as he began to tease her with one finger, touching her just long enough to have her visibly trembling with his touch, with her desperate need for him. “I swear, Aleksander… If you play too long…”

“Shhh, Alina… I promise you… You will be sated to the fullest.” He said, just as he dipped a finger inside her folds.

A loud moan climbed up her throat and a smile curved her lips. Finally, finally! She rolled her hips once, silently ordering him to continue and never stop. Never, never, never.

His chuckle was raspy, and she could tell he was as taunt and desperate as she was, “Hasty and wet… Oh, Alina…” His lips brushed over her pulse, his hand cupped her behind and squeezed once, drawing a gasp from her, “So wet, you are so deliciously wet, Alina…”

“Aleksander… Aleksander…” she begged, no longer caring if he won this round of their little sexual game. She just needed him, inside her, pushing her into blissful oblivion. Her heart was beating so hast, her breathing so shallow, she couldn’t hear anything else. But she did, oh yes she did. The lovely sound of him unzipping his pants, followed by the sound of fabric falling to the ground. Aleksander picked her up by her thighs and spread her legs just enough to take a step and ease himself inside her in one swift move. “Yes… Oh… Yes…” He felt so right, so right. A smile grew on her lips, pleasure tugging them upwards, “Aleksander… Aleksander…”

“Yes… Oh, Alina… You feel so good.” He rasped against her lips, hastily removing his shirt as she locked her legs around his waist and pulled him flush against her body. “Perfect, so perfect…” He uttered before pulling away. A whimper left her lips, the sound quickly replaced by a gasped moan when he thrust his hips hard against hers. Aleksander groaned, his eyebrow furrowed deep as he too drowned in this moment.

Temple against temple, he began to roll his hips against hers, Alina following his steps to perfection. Their rhythm grew faster and faster and Alina dragged her nails down his scalp and back, savouring the way Aleksander gasped and groaned under her touch. She faintly memorized the way his back muscles hardened under her palms and how their dips and curves were so perfect they should be illegal. This was just a faint thought in the back of her mind as their rhythm grew into a dirty dance, their only music the gasps and loud moans that left their lips over and over again.

Aleksander had never been with her before this moment, yet he knew just how to thrust his hips, just how to kiss her swollen lips, just how to draw the most erotic sounds out of her. And she knew he knew one very last thing… Just how to hit all the right buttons and have her crying out his name.

She felt her grasp on reality fade away as her mind and body focused solely on the feel of Aleksander inside of her and the nearing edge. Closer and closer and closer, Alina’s breaths became shallower, her body shaking harder, her heart beating so fast against her chest it was a wonder if hadn’t broken through yet.

Aleksander groaned, his grip on her body tightening, “Come for me, Alina… Come for me…” He rasped, rocking his hips harder.

And then… And then…!

Oh!

OH!

“Aleksander!” She cried out. Her blood was on fire, her mind a puddle and her body… As her climax shook her to her very core, Alina swore her heart and her body exploded to a million pieces, falling apart into nothing but dust, ready to be scattered away by the faintest of breezes.

She was dead. And what a lovely way to die.

 

* * *

 

The night didn’t end there. Oh no. Aleksander made sure Alina was thoroughly spent by the time the two fell asleep on her bed, the bunk thankfully having been ready long before she’d left her dinner table. After she climaxed so soundly in his arms, Aleksander’s release had followed suit, providing Alina with the beautiful sight of this dangerously alluring man looking so beautifully unguarded in that moment, nothing held back, no sound, so shiver, nothing. She’d cupped his face in her hands and brought his lips to hers in a kiss that would haunt her nights forever. How tender, how pure… How easily he’d kissed her in kind. How strange to share such an intimate and soft kiss after such a steamy sex session. What a paradox.

And then he’d taken to her bed, where he took his time and played her like a violin. All night through.

 

* * *

 

Alina’s body ached top to bottom. There was not a single cell in her body that didn’t ache. Not that she minded. It was a lovely ache, an ache she had never thought she would experience. And all at the hands of a silver-eyed man. All at the hands of Aleksander.

She watched as he slept, his chest rising up and down in a steady and lazy rhythm. Just little under an hour ago, she had gone down on him, making him pay for all his teases and games. Of course, he’d gifted her with payback right after coming undone. As it had become their little routine since that night in her compartment.

Two weeks.

Two weeks had passed since then.

Alina and Aleksander had spent three more nights together in that train, until she reached her destination and she thought she’d never see him again. To her surprise, Aleksander asked to accompany her, the man not yet ready to part ways. She said yes, weak as she had become for him as she was.

She hadn’t gone far on her trip though. Backpacking for a few days before finding a lovely hotel, Aleksander had taken her to their best room and neither had really left it since then. Trashing a room had never been on her list of things to do, but now it was on her list of crazy things she had done. Not that she minded any of that. Aleksander was unexpectedly perfect.

Still… Her gaze fell on her backpack and her two bags, all ready to leave. This was not part of her plan, of the journey she’d initiated all those months ago. And as much as she hated to, she had to leave. And it had to be done with him asleep, with him unaware of her departure. Because she knew… she knew that if she said goodbye, she wouldn’t really say it. She wouldn’t really be able to leave. And she had to. She had to.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL WELL WELL!! Alina's avoiding the serious stuff like a pro amirite??
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling is the best cookie to ever cookie!!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> initial quote from a fantastic book I read this year: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne <3

 

 

 

ONE YEAR LATER

 

_“He tosses the blankets over us, blocking out the entire world. He’s laughing, my favourite sound in the world._

_Then there’s nothing but silence. His mouth touches my skin._

_Let the real games begin.”_

 

 

Alina sighed wistfully and closed the book, her palm still unable to leave its lovely teal cover. She smiled. There really was nothing quite like finishing a book that had one smiling the entire time, from page one to last.

A giggle caught her attention and Alina turned to her side. “Hey Anya!” she leaned in and poked the baby’s nose, making her laugh again, “Aren’t you a cutie?”

“Alina?”

She froze.

“Alina…!”

No, no! It can’t be, it just can’t!

“Please look at me.” That voice. Its smooth tone, its hard and soft edges.

A deep breath. Her heart pounding hard in her chest. She turned, “Aleksander…”

There he stood, as tall and handsome as she recalled. Except this time he didn’t have an elegant suit on. This time he wore dark jeans and a dark buttoned shirt, its top button undone and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was just the same and his eyes… She had to look away then, unable to look straight into his eyes without falling apart.

“Alina… It’s you.” He spoke again, his voice raw with… wonder? “I finally found you.”

She frowned, “Found me?”

“You left without a word, without leaving any means of reaching you.” His voice broke just a little and Alina noticed how he tried to hide the pain of being abandoned in the middle of the night. She bit her lip and looked away again. It was an awful thing to do, and she had done it. Not after the first night or the second, not after the train. But after two whole weeks. “Alina…” he stepped closer, trying to catch her eye, when Anya caught his attention. He blinked fast, mouth agape, chest heaving. Aleksander watched the baby as she watched the sunny sky with wide eyes. “Is she…?” his voice was soft and tender, as though he’d caught Anya asleep and he wouldn’t dare to wake her up.

Alina shook her head, “No. It’s my friend’s. I’m just babysitting for a little.”

Aleksander’s face fell, but he quickly masked the disappointment and schooled his face into his usual neutral expression before speaking again, “Alina. We need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Alina… You left without a word. After two weeks. Forgive me for making assumptions, but considering we spent almost the entirety of every day together, I assumed you would at least warn me when our… arrangement,” a grimace twisted his face, “was over. And not… Run away in the night.”

Fire ran in her veins as flashes of their days rushed back to her. She fished her phone and opened a text, “Right. I’m sorry about that but I… I had to go, Aleksander. I had to.”

“Without a word?”

She sighed, not really ready for this conversation at all. She did run away, didn’t she? Just to avoid this. But the universe or fate or what have you has some wicked sense of humour. If it didn’t… Aleksander wouldn’t have found her, would he? “Fine.” She exited the text and made a call instead, “Genya? Yeah huh… Can you please come pick up your baby? Yes, Anya. Who else, Genya? Yeah, I huh…” She glanced at Aleksander, who still watched Anya with calculated interest. Why, she couldn’t fathom, since the baby had fallen asleep in the meantime. “All right, I’m at my usual spot.”

Aleksander turned to her but Alina lifted a hand, asking for silence, “Five minutes. Wait five minutes.” He nodded.

 

* * *

 

 

Five minutes had never felt so long before in her whole life. Never. Yet now, as they waited for Genya to show up, it was as though time was stretching itself, like the world’s best elastic band, trying to reach some sort of world record. On and on it stretched, on and on, until it would break and time would rush back to its normal pace.

“I’m here!” Genya called and Alina quickly rushed to her and gave her a quick hug, “Woah, we saw each other this morning, missy.”

“I’m sorry, but this thing came up and I can’t stay with her anymore.”

Genya glanced at Aleksander and nodded, “I see. A thing. Well, will I see you again today?”

Alina flushed at the question between the lines, “Genya…”

The red head chuckled and walked to Anya’s car, “Just call me when you’re free. David and I were really looking forward to some one on one time.” She winked and strolled off, not even saying hello to Aleksander.

He didn’t even notice, his whole attention on Alina.

She crossed her arms, “Talk.”

 

* * *

 

Her body was on fire, her blood pure gasoline set alight, her heart beating hard against her chest. Alina cried out again and again, her hands with a steely grip on Aleksander’s shoulders as she rocked her hips hard against his, their frenetic rhythm rocking the bed off its spot. He groaned her name, over and over again, like a prayer he said to himself every single day. Her head was spinning, high on sex and the way her name sounded so damn good when uttered by a completely helpless Aleksander. Oh, she had missed this. She had.

And then finally, one final thrust, one final cry and Alina was combusting on the spot. Body and soul breaking into a million pieces as her climax shook her whole existence off its hinges. Aleksander shuddered and cried out her name, and then silence.

Alina’s chest heaved as she leaned down and rested her head against his. Those lovely dark locks of his were all matted to his head, his forehead crumpled as Aleksander tried to come back from his own orgasm and Alina tried to relearn how to breathe. Then, just when she was remembering the basics of such activity, Aleksander rasped, “Why did you lie about Anya?”

And just like that, Alina remembered just why they were in this current position. Seduction had only taken her so far, it seemed. She sat back up and pushed her hair away, “What are you talking about, Aleksander?”

His silver eyes peeked from under heavy and dark eyelashes, his eyes still droopy from exhaustion. She had really worked him hard, hadn’t she? He took a deep breath, “Anya is my daughter. _Our_ daughter. Why did you lie when I asked about her?” Alina looked away and he insisted, “Why didn’t you tell me, Alina?”

She huffed and eased herself off of him, ignoring how wrong it felt to not be with him, and walked away. She picked up his shirt and put it on, her back always to him, “I didn’t know. I didn’t know and when I found out it was too late and I had no way of telling you, even if I wanted to.” The words came out low, almost a mumble, but she knew Aleksander had heard her. She knew from the way silence had fallen after her words, from the way Aleksander didn’t even move.

“You could have tried looking for me.” His voice was hard, almost chastising and Alina almost flinched, “You knew my name. I didn’t know yours.”

“Of course you did!” She finally turned and wished she hadn’t, because Aleksander hadn’t moved an inch and he was still lying on that bed, as exposed as she had left him. Her gaze focused on the rich-looking carpet.

Aleksander snorted, “I knew your first name alone. You knew my first and last.”

“Do you have any idea how many Aleksander Morozovas there are in Ravka? And how could I be sure you were even Ravkan?” She pointed out, annoyed at how easily he poked holes in her excuses. Sure, it would have been hard, but eventually she would have found him. If she had tried to, which… she hadn’t. “And why are you so bothered by this, anyway? I’m the one who carried her for nine months, I’m the one that has little sleep because Anya needs to be fed every TWO hours. You only had to do your thing and ta-da!” She bit out, feeling a little angry over his attitude.

Aleksander’s face softened, “Alina… You didn’t have to do it alone.” He got up and Alina turned and walked to the other side of the bed, wanting distance from him and his body and his voice. Aleksander caught up to her very easily, a hand on the small of her back, “And… even if I just did the basics to make a baby, I still would have liked to have a say on being part of her life or not.” When Alina refused to answer or turn, he heaved out a sigh, “It’s your body, your choices. But if you decided to keep her, I think I deserved to at least know of her and maybe be part of her life.”

Alina felt her eyes grow prickly, “Is that what you’re worried about? Being part of your off-spring’s life?” She bit back a sob, completely caught off-guard by how much his words hurt her, “Afraid you won’t find anyone to leave your money to?”

A growl came from behind her before Aleksander turned her around and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at him, “Do you really think I’m that kind of jerk? Did you not hear me? I found you.” He echoed his earlier words, “I have been trying to find you for a whole year. Right after the moment I realised you had taken off. Anya didn’t exist until two hours ago.” His spoke slowly and clearly, making sure Alina heard every word he said, “Sure, I am hurt you lied about Anya. Sure, I want to try and be part of her life. Sure, I am hurt that you didn’t even try to find me. But what I’m worried about,” He tilted her head up with the tip of his finger, “Is the fact that I cannot stop thinking about you, not even for a minute, and any minute now you might grab your things and leave without another word, without us properly talking about everything that happened and is happening. About the possibility of us being part of each other’s lives.” He finished, his eyes now on her parted lips.

Her lungs were on the verge of collapsing. She needed to breathe, some day. Maybe. “I…” Her heart ran rampant inside her chest, beating off rhythm and skipping beats and jumping up and down and fluttering fast and slow and fast and slow. She was dizzy, so dizzy. Her eyes fluttered down for a moment and a new blush coloured her cheeks before she closed them and sighed, “I can’t talk until you put something on, Aleksander. Please.”

For a moment Aleksander didn’t move. And then his chuckle filled the room and her heart, the warmth of that lovely sound making her light and warm and fuzzy, “Do I distract you, Alina?”

“Please, Aleksander.”

He chuckled again, “I love it when you say that.” Shuffling followed his words and a second later he was speaking again, “There, happy?”

She peeked and saw him wearing just his boxers. She shot him a pointed look, “Is that the best you can do?”

“I intend to conclude this important conversation with more sex, Alina. Allow me to be as underdressed as you are.” She blushed, remembering she was wearing nothing but his shirt, which covered just below her backside. A wicked smirk grew on his lips, “Come here, Alina. I don’t want to talk with you on the other side of the room.” Alina huffed and dragged her feet towards him, arms crossed, eyes locked somewhere over his head. When she was at arm’s length, Aleksander gently grabbed her hips and pulled her closer, “Now… Who goes first?” His voice had grown softer, making Alina wish they were actual lovers and not… whatever this was.

She set her jaw, munching on all the things she wanted to ask. Then, “How did you know?”

He rubbed his hands up and down her sides, “She’s got my eyes. And my hair.”

“Silver eyes and black hair isn’t that unique, Aleksander.”

“And she has your pout.”

That caught her attention, “What?” She saw the way his smile reached into his eyes, the way they crinkled and sparkled brighter.

“When you’re sound asleep, dreaming of whatever lovely things you dream of, you make this little pout,” He brushed a thumb over her lower lip and Alina felt pure electricity exploding from that spot, “And Anya has the same pout. That’s how I knew she was ours.”

For a moment Alina forgot to breathe, taken aback as she was by his words. How much attention had he paid to her during those weeks they spent together? “Oh.” She whispered and looked away, finally taking in some air. “I guess it’s your turn.” She said, hoping he hadn’t noticed the way her lungs screamed for air, the way her heart seemed to be beating so fast and so loud.

“Why did you leave like that?” Of course. Of course he’d go for the kill…

Alina shut her eyes and took a breath to steady herself, “Because… I wouldn’t have been able to leave any other way.”

“I wouldn’t have kept you, Alina.” He replied, his tone hard and borderline offended at the possible meaning of her words.

She huffed, “It’s not that…! It’s… I wouldn’t have been able to leave any other way because I wouldn’t even be able to bring it up.” She glanced at him and found confusion marring his beautiful face, “I had to leave. I had gone into that trip after a bad breakup and I needed to… find myself again. I needed to get away and explore the world and let it…” she shrugged, “I don’t know, teach me something.” A pause, “And all was working to plan. Until I met you.”

“I see…” He uttered, his hands having fallen away after those words. Alina felt guilt poison her blood.

“It’s not like that, Aleksander. It’s… I don’t know. I met you and you turned my world upside down. I… I had a journey to finish and as long as I was with you, I wouldn’t be able to finish it. You made it so hard to leave that I could only think about it when we weren’t together. And I… I had to go, Aleksander. I needed to finish that chapter of my life. The only way I could leave was to wait until you were asleep, or else I’d just stay.”

“Why was it so terrible to stay?” His voice was steady, even. But Alina could tell the way he forced it to be that way, the way he held back his hurt. She didn’t want to hurt him, why did he have to ask this?!

“It was the complete opposite, Aleksander. But…”

“You had to go.” She nodded, “Then, if it was the opposite of terrible, why not find a way to keep in touch, Alina?” He took a shuddering breath and pressed his head against her stomach, hands holding her just by the fingertips, “I don’t understand.”

Her lower lip trembled, “I don’t understand myself either…” She whispered, “I just… I just know that…” She took a deep breath and readied herself to say aloud something she had never even admitted to herself, “If I stayed I would have fallen in love with you and I wasn’t ready for that yet…”

He paused, “Would have?”

“Would have, was… I don’t know. I wasn’t ready, Aleksander.”

“And now?” He looked up, hope ruling his words, ruling the corners of his lips, ruling the way his eyes shined a little brighter.

Alina opened her mouth, ready for a quick “I don’t know” except no words came out. None at all. Her heart was beating so fast, she was surprised no hotel staff hadn’t call in requiring for silence yet. It was a battery of drums as big as Ravka itself, yet it seemed to be noticed by her and her alone. She gnawed on her lip and cursed her heart for being so silly for Aleksander, “We can’t… We can’t just keep having sex.”

“And what do you suggest?” He seemed lighter, hope blooming deep within him.

“Take me on a date, and-and I’ll… I’ll see where things can go from there.”

“Things?” by now Aleksander could no longer hold back the smile that tugged on his lips.

“Me, us, Anya.”

And just like that, his smile bloomed, illuminating the whole room. Aleksander whispered, “Then it’s a date, Alina.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp, the past has a way of catching up to you huh?
> 
>  
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling keeps the monsters under the bed away


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

 

A FEW MONTHS LATER

 

She teased the fire yet again, her eyes flashing to the clock on the mantle, yet again. Seconds seemed to tick so achingly slow, it was as though time was playing games with her. Wicked, evil games.

A key turned on the door and in a flash, Alina was jumping into Aleksander’s already opened arms, gripping him in her fiercest koala hug. “You’re home!” She squealed, a giggle breaking her words.

Aleksander held her with one arm and shut the door with the other, his bags already inside their home. His chuckle was a sound Alina had missed dearly, “Yes, I am. I missed you too, Alina.” His voice was so soft and tender, a tone he reserved just for her and Anya. No one else in the world knew how soft and tender Aleksander could be. She loved being intimate with this little precious secret.

“I missed you so much, Aleksander. It’s ridiculous!” She mumbled into the crook of his neck, taking in quick and deep breaths off of him, letting his scent fill her every cell until her body wasn’t in tangles anymore.

He chuckled again, arms circling her waist as he returned the tight hug, “I find it hard to believe.”

“It’s true!” She said and pressed a kiss against his pulse, giggling when a groan formed in the back of his throat and Aleksander allowed his hands to wander down and cup her backside, “Anya’s with Genya…” She whispered into his ear, a smirk coating her words.

Aleksander stopped breathing and his grip on her tightened once, drawing a soft moan off of Alina, “Is she?”

She nodded, “Yes, Genya insisted on us having a proper reunion.”

“Remind me to pay for Genya’s kid’s university tuitions.” He rasped, already halfway to their bedroom, “Saints, Alina...” He cursed when she teased his skin with the tip of her tongue, drawing lazy shapes up and down before pressing tiny, featherlike kisses all over his skin. “I wanted to see Anya too, though… Saints!” He cursed yet again, having hit his knee on the door threshold in his haste to reach the bed before Alina managed to have him coming undone with just kissing his neck.

“In the morning, Aleksander. Tonight it’s just us…” She said, making sure her words were in that husky tone of hers she knew made Aleksander do all her biddings.

A groan escaped his hold just as he laid her down and climbed on top of her to kiss the heck out of her. Both hands on her face, Aleksander’s lips goaded Alina’s into a dirty dance that always had her heart skipping as much beats as it could without killing her. He pressed and massaged her lips, tongue teasing her with just the tip, never resting until Alina had parted her lips and welcomed him in. She moaned as the kiss deepened, her hands working fast on his shirt and belt buckle, her mind going through all the forbidden things they couldn’t do when Anya was in her room. Oh, the sounds. The sounds! Alina wanted to scream her heart out tonight. She wanted to make Aleksander scream his heart out.

“My Alina…” His hot breath tickled her skin as he pressed kisses down her body, his hands exposing her to him, to all of him, “My love, my love…” He pressed a long kiss on her belly, savouring the way Alina shivered under him, “My solnishka…” He parted her legs and rubbed his palms along her inner thighs, drawing sweet sounds out of her.

Alina clawed at the sheets, her fingers digging so hard into the fabric it burned with friction. Her breathing grew laboured, her eyes shut tight, and Aleksander’s tongue teased her folds, over and over and over again. No moan was held back, no ‘please’, no ‘yes’. Tonight Alina made sure to release all those sounds, unafraid of waking up their little Anya. She was soaring, she was burning to cinders and then she was crashing down, fast, fast, fast and into the depth of their bed, her body nothing but a puddle of feelings.

Aleksander resurfaced, his breathing so shallow, so laboured, Alina couldn’t help the victorious smile that tugged on her lips. Sure, he had taken her to wonderful and highly erotic heights, but Aleksander was the one on his knees and practically begging for Alina.

“You are so beautiful, Alina…” He whispered into her ear, pressing his hands against her body, massaging her sore muscles back to life, “So beautiful…”

She smiled, relishing in the way his touch practically healed her for another round, “You’re not so bad yourself, Aleksander…” She croaked, her throat unused to all this activity.

Then he was laughing under his breath, that wonderful and magical sound that always, always, had Alina feeling as though nothing in the world was unfixable, as though there was not a thing that she couldn’t overcome. So long as Aleksander was by her side, so long as he always gifted her with the beauty of his laughter. His breath tickled her cheeks, “Still can’t admit you enjoy the view of me, Alina? After all this time?”

She whimpered, already tired of not having him inside her, where he should be right now. “Oh, stop dawdling and move.”

“Of course, my love.”

She heard the faint sounds of the rest of his clothes being thrown away and then he was climbing on top of her and helping her onto their pillows and under their sheets, “It’s a cold night, solnishka…” He explained before easing himself into her in one slow stroke.

A relieved sigh escaped both of them, a moment of quiet shared between them before Aleksander caught her lips in a hungry kiss and began rocking his hips against hers, putting as much passion into each thrust as he could.

Moan after moan left Alina’s parted lips, her nails digging into the hard muscles of his back, her head tilted back. Her body followed his, the two moving in that perfect sync they had always had, and her heart sang to this, the little red thing storing inside of itself all of these moments they shared like a hungry child that would never be sated. Never. It hoarded these moments, it stashed them away and it protected them with all its might, never letting any of it slip away to nothing.

Aleksander pressed his temple to hers, eyebrows furrowed deep as he got lost in the passion, as he rocked his hips faster and harder. With a hand, he angled Alina a little higher, his thrusts never losing stride. Alina clawed at the other hand and their fingers laced tight together high above their heads as the two lovers tried their damnedest to run their bed to the ground. Aleksander uttered her name under his breath, over and over again, love and devotion ruling his tongue and filling Alina’s heart to the brim, the hungry little thing nearly cackling with all of these gifts it kept receiving.

At the peak of their passionate embrace, as Alina felt the edge drawing closer and closer, Aleksander breathed, “Marry me, Alina…!” he cursed with a growl, his body just on the brink of coming undone.

The world stopped.

Stopped.

Alina had entered a whole new world. Aleksander… Did he…?”

“Marry me, Alina! Marry me, my love, my Alina… Marry me…” He said, over and over again, as if he’d heard her thoughts, as if he’d noticed her momentary confusion.

And then, she came undone. And cried out, “Yes! Yes! YES!” She screamed that word until it lost all meaning to her, she screamed that word until her throat was raw and no sound came out, she screamed that word until Aleksander came undone as well and all Alina could feel was his smile, pressed against her cheek as he realised she had just said yes to his proposal.

Moments passed before their erratic breathing slowed down. Alina was sure her body was fire and that liquid fire ran through her veins in that moment. How spent she was, how sated. And how happy. Happy!

“I can’t…” She heaved a sigh and combed his hair blindly, pulling him up for a quick peck, “I can’t believe you just proposed mid-sex, Aleksander…” She chuckled, “Only you would think this to be the most romantic moment to do it.” Oh saints, her voice was croaky and so raspy, she was glad no one but him could hear her. It was so embarrassingly obvious she had just had the best sex ever, all just by the way her voice sounded.

Aleksander looked up and Alina saw his eyes for the first time since she’d jumped him by the door. They were so open and unguarded, shining with so much love and devotion, the sheer weight of it all threatened to destroy her under. He reached up and tucked away a stray lock of hair, “Although not the socially accepted occasion to propose, this was… It was just now, that I felt the most connected to you Alina. Deeply connected. Our hearts…” He took a breath, still as breathless as she was, “Our love… Our very lifelines… I felt as though I was part of you and…” A sweet smile tugged on his lips, “It just came out. I suppose my heart decided this moment was the right one. And should we propose when it feels right?” She nodded, all words having failed her in that moment, “Well, Alina… It felt right.”

A tiny smile, a soft and tiny smile grew on her lips and Alina swore she was on the verge of tears with how happy she was, “I love you, Aleksander. So much…”

He mirrored her smile and rested his head against hers, closing his eyes in the process, “I love you too, my Alina. Forever.”

 

* * *

 

Curled up against him, Alina pressed her palm hard against his chest and right where she could feel his heartbeat. “I love the way your heart always skips a beat when I say your name.” She smirked and looked straight into his eyes before speaking again, “Aleksander.” And just on cue, it did skip a beat. She giggled, “See?!”

“It sounds perfect when you say it…” He said, his words just above a whisper. Then his eyes widened a fraction and he stopped playing with her hair, “I think I forgot to shut the door!”

She rolled her eyes and stifled down a yawn, “I’m sure you did, Aleksander. Wait, where are you going? Come back!” She complained when he still got out of bed, not even bothering with putting his robe on, “Well, at least make sure you don’t flash anyone! And come back fast!”

She dropped her head on his pillow, hand outstretched to the door, eyes droopy with sleep. Aleksander couldn’t have just left when she was about to fall asleep while cuddling with him! How dare he? She needed her daily dose of Aleksander-cuddles and he was depriving her of that. She groaned and called for him again, receiving a “coming” in return.

She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, hoping that when she blinked them open again Aleksander would be back.

 

* * *

 

“I did close the door but forgot to lock it…” Aleksander stopped as soon as he stepped through the door.

Alina was asleep.

A corner of his mouth tilted up with a fond smile and he looked down at his hand, where a small and thin box was. He twisted it and the box opened to reveal a beautiful golden ring with a yellow diamond at its crown. His gaze travelled back to Alina, who continued asleep, completely unaware of his true reason to leave her embrace.

“Well, I suppose we’ll have to wait for tomorrow…” He whispered to himself, settling the secret box in a drawer on his bedside table. Alina wanted a romantic proposal? He would give her the most romantic breakfast she could ever wish for. In truth, Aleksander had intended to propose at another time and with a little more romantic flare, but his words had been true when Alina teased his timing. It had been the perfect moment. It had felt as though his soul was entwined with hers, as silly as it sounded. And then the words came out, without a single thought to spare, without a single regret to follow. Thankfully, Alina said yes and even liked the proposal. He suspected she would have preferred something less… sexual, for lack of a better word. But what’s done is done and what mattered in the end was simply that they were engaged.

His eyes locked on her sleeping form as that single word sank its nails on his heard and twisted it around. Engaged. To Alina. Saints help him, he couldn’t stop smiling!

Alina moaned in her sleep and twisted around, her hands blindly looking for his. Aleksander quickly joined her under the sheets, barely having to do a thing as she sleepily found him and settled against him with a soft smile on her lips. He kissed the crown of her head, “My Alina… I love you, so much… Sleep well, tomorrow you’ll have more surprises coming your way.” He whispered before he too felt sleep take him away.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAY! A cutesy ending!! :D
> 
> ofc Aleksander would propose that way xD
> 
>  
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling is just pretty awesome <3<3<3


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